RYE 2014 ELECTION: BACKGROUND ON
WARRANT ARTICLES 12-21
Final
Revision D -- Provided by the Rye Civic League
Quick links
ARTICLE 12: TOWN EMPLOYEES UNION CONTRACT ($9700 FIRST
YEAR COST)
Text of
warrant article
To see if the Town of Rye will vote to approve the cost items
included in the Collective Bargaining Agreement reached between the Town of Rye Board of
Selectmen and the Rye Town Employees Association affiliated with Teamsters Local 633 of New
Hampshire, which calls for the following increases in
salaries and benefits at the current
staffing level:
Year Estimated Range of Increase over
prior year
Base 2% Max 3.5%
2014 (9 mos.) $9,700
2015 (12 mos.) $13,190 $23,083
2016 (12 mos.) $13,454 $23,890
The range in years 2015 and 2016 is a minimum and maximum amount
determined by a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).
And further, to raise and appropriate the sum of $9,700
for the 2014 fiscal year, such sum representing the
additional costs attributable to the
increase in salaries and benefits required by the new agreement over those
that would be paid at current
staffing levels in accordance with the most recent collective bargaining
agreement. This appropriation is in addition to the operating budget.
Majority vote required.
This
article is recommended by the Selectmen (3-0)
This
article is recommended by the Budget Committee (9-0)
Background and explanation
This union contract
applies to the Public Works employees.
If the voters approve, the Town will enter into a three year contract
with the union which provides for a 2 percent increase in wages in 2014, and
additional 2 to 3.5 percent increases in each of 2015 and 2016, depending on
the inflation rate (COLA). The increases
in the table above are cumulative, so that, in 2016, the Public Works
employees, in total, would cost the town, for salaries and benefits, a minimum
of $36,344 and a maximum of $56,673 more than the case would be at current
compensation levels, depending on the inflation rate.
The new union contract includes changes, most notably in
health care and vacation and sick leave accrual rules. New hires would be restricted to the less
costly Matthew Thornton plan, and would need to pay 25 percent, rather than 20
percent of their health care premiums and the employee would have a higher
deductible. Existing employees, other
than those that are single, would experience no change in their health care
options or costs. Existing and new
single employees would have their their of health care premiums increased from
10 to 15 percent.
Employees and their
estates would under no circumstances receive more than 240 hours of accumulated
vacation time. Sick leave accumulation,
which is currently uncapped, would be limited to 400 hours accumulation, but
only for new employees.
Links
Summary of the contract prepared by the Town Administrator: Click
here
Deliberative
Session notes of the discussion regarding this warrant article: Click
here.
Video of the
Deliberative Session discussion of this warrant article: Click
here (0:00 elapsed)
Town minutes
of the Deliberative Session: Click
here (pages 8-9).
Video of the
Board of Selectmen meeting, January 16, 2014, approving the contract: Click
here (0:00 elapsed).
Town minutes
of the above meeting: Click
here (pages 1-2).
Video of the
Budget Committee meeting, January 16, 2014 recommending the contract: Click
here (171:51 elapsed)
ARTICLE 13: SPECIAL MEETING IF ARTICLE 12 DEFEATED
Text of
warrant article
Shall the Town of Rye, if Article 12 is defeated, authorize the
Board of Selectmen to call one special meeting, at its option, to address Article 12 cost items
only?
Background and explanation
If this also gets defeated, the Selectman would need to
collect 50 signatures in order to call another Town Meeting to address a
revised contract.
Links
Deliberative
Session notes of the discussion regarding this warrant article: Click
here.
Video of the
Deliberative Session discussion of this warrant article: Click
here (4:40 elapsed).
Town Minutes
of the Deliberative Session: Click
here (page 9).
ARTICLE
14: POLICE UNION CONTRACT ($7746 FIRST
YEAR COST)
Text of warrant article
To see if the Town of Rye will vote to approve the cost items
included in the Collective Bargaining Agreement reached between the Town of Rye Board of
Selectmen and the Rye Town Police Association affiliated with Teamsters Local 633 of New
Hampshire, which calls for the following increases in
salaries and benefits at the current
staffing level:
Year Estimated Range of Increase over
prior year
Base 2% Max 3.5%
2014 (9 mos.) $7,746
2015 (12 mos.) $10,534 $18,434
2016 (12 mos.) $10,745 $19,079
The range in years 2015 and 2016 is a minimum and maximum amount
determined by a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).
And further, to raise and appropriate the sum of $7,746
for the 2014 fiscal year, such sum representing the
additional costs attributable to the
increase in salaries and benefits required by the new agreement over those
that would be paid at current
staffing levels in accordance with the most recent collective bargaining agreement. This appropriation is in addition to the operating budget.
Majority vote required.
This
article is recommended by the Selectmen (2-1)
This
article is recommended by the Budget Committee (9-0)
Background and explanation
This union contract applies
to the Police employees. If the voters
approve, the Town will enter into a three year contract with the union which
provides for a 2 percent increase in wages in 2014, and additional 2 to 3.5
percent increases in each of 2015 and 2016, depending on the inflation rate
(COLA). The increases in the table above
are cumulative, so that, in 2016, the Police employees, in total, would cost
the town, for salaries and benefits, a minimum of $29,025 and a maximum of
$45,259 more than would be the case at current compensation levels, depending
on the inflation rate.
The new union contract
includes changes, most notably in health care and vacation and sick leave
accrual rules. New hires would be
restricted to the less costly Matthew Thornton plan, and would need to pay 25
percent, rather than 20 percent of their health care premiums and the employee
would have a higher deductible. Existing
employees, other than those that are single, would experience no change in
their health care options. Existing and
new single employees would have their their of health care premiums increased
from 10 to 15 percent.
Employees and their
estates would under no circumstances receive more than 240 hours of accumulated
vacation time. Sick leave accumulation,
which is currently uncapped, would be limited to 480 hours accumulation, but
only for new employees.
Links
Summary of the contract prepared by the Town Administrator: Click
here
Deliberative
Session notes of the discussion regarding this warrant article: Click
here.
Video of the
Deliberative Session discussion of this warrant article: Click
here (5:37 elapsed).
Town minutes
of the Deliberative Session: Click
here (page 10).
Video of the
Board of Selectmen meeting, January 16, 2014, approving the contract: Click
here (0:00 elapsed).
Town minutes
of the above meeting: Click
here (pages 1-3).
Video of the
Budget Committee meeting, January 16, 2014 recommending the contract: Click
here (171:51 elapsed)
ARTICLE 15: SPECIAL MEETING IF ARTICLE 14 DEFEATED
Text of
warrant article
Shall the Town of Rye, if Article 14 is defeated, authorize the
Board of Selectmen to call one special meeting, at its option, to address Article 14 cost items
only?
Background and explanation
If this also gets defeated, the Selectman would need to
collect 50 signatures in order to call another Town Meeting to address a
revised contract.
Links
Deliberative
Session notes of the discussion regarding this warrant article: Click
here.
Video of the
Deliberative Session discussion of this warrant article: Click
here (7:41 elapsed).
Town Minutes
of the Deliberative Session: Click
here (page 10).
ARTICLE
16: PICKUP TRUCK ($65,000)
Text of
warrant article
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of
sixty-five thousand dollars ($65,000) to purchase a new one-ton truck to replace an existing
older, high mileage ¾ ton truck and to authorize the withdrawal of sixty-five thousand dollars
($65,000) from the Highway Equipment Capital Reserve
Fund created in 1994 for this
purpose. This appropriation is in addition to the operating budget. (Majority
vote required.)
This article is recommended by the Selectmen (3-0)
This article is recommended by the Budget
Committee. (6-0)
Background and explanation
This truck replaces a 3/4
–ton truck. Public Works Director Dennis
McCarthy also referred to this as a “550.”
There are two ¾-ton trucks which are somewhat light for the work, he
says. One is 8 years old and the other
is 11 years old. These are used for
plowing of side roads and hauling equipment.
There
is $278,200 in the Highway Equipment Capital Reserve Fund, which will be drawn
down to replace this truck and another one (see Article 10), for a total of
$215,000. The $175,000 front end loader
being replaced this year (see Article 9) will need to be leased, at a $12,000
cost over the term of the lease for interest, as there is not enough in the
Capital Reserve to pay for all three pieces of equipment. The Capital Reserve has been added to at a
rate of $100,000 annually in recent years.
Such additions increase the tax rate in the year that the Capital
Reserve is added to, but there is no direct tax effect when the money is
withdrawn. However, withdrawals reduce
the Capital Reserve balance, which will need to be replenished if it is to be
used for equipment purchases in the future.
Links
Deliberative
Session notes of the discussion regarding this warrant article: Click
here.
Video of the
Deliberative Session discussion of this warrant article: Click
here (8:13 elapsed).
Town Minutes
of the Deliberative Session: Click
here (page 11).
Town 2014-2019
Capital Improvement Plan (“CIP”): Click
here (see page 40).
Notes of the
December 9, 2013 Board of Selectmen meeting where this was approved: Click
here.
Video of the
above meeting: Click
here (175:56 elapsed).
Town minutes
of above: Click
here (page 15)
Notes of the
December 12, 2013 Budget Committee meeting where this was recommended: Click
here.
Video of the
above meeting: Click
here (109:41 elapsed)
Town minutes
of the above: Click
here (page 6)
ARTICLE
17: ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME PATROL OFFICER
($46,915 6-MONTH COST)
Text of warrant article
To see if the Town will vote to add one (1) full-time patrol
officer in the Rye Police Department and to raise and appropriate the sum of forty-six
thousand, nine hundred fifteen dollars ($46,915) to fund the
position for the last six months of
calendar year 2014. This appropriation is in addition to the operating budget. (Majority vote required.)
Note: The amount
of $46,915 to fund the position for six months in 2014 includes wages and
benefits based on present figures plus the required outfitting equipment. The
costs to fund this position for a full year based on
present figures for wages and
benefits plus uniform allowance would be $88,326.30.
Background and explanation
Rye currently has a
police force of nine full-time officers including the Police Chief, five
part-time officers, five part-time parking enforcement employees, one part-time
animal control officer and one full-time secretary. This has been the staffing level for the past
fourteen years. Generally speaking,
there are two officers on duty during the day and evening, but the overnight
(graveyard) shift is staffed by one officer.
In the past three years, 25 to 27 percent of the calls have occurred
between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., and 24 to 36 percent of the arrests.
In the past year, issues relating to the beach have received
greater visibility and there have been a number of complaints regarding the
lack of enforcement there, most notably in connection with the beach-related
meetings in 2013 (see Article 23 and the links provided there for more
details). While the additional officer
would serve year round, the officer would also provide additional flexibility
to provide staffing of 1-2 officers on the beach, according to Police Chief
Walsh. The number of officers assigned
depends on the weather, he says.
While
in the past, part-time summer officers have been hired to serve in this role,
Chief Walsh does not believe that this is a good solution, because of the
difficulty in scheduling part-time officers who often have other commitments.
Links
Deliberative
Session notes of the discussion regarding this warrant article: Click
here.
Video of the
Deliberative Session discussion of this warrant article: Click
here.
Town Minutes
of the Deliberative Session: Click
here (pages 11-12).
Supporting
data for additional police officer provided by Chief Walsh: Click
here.
Notes of
October 30, 2013 all-day Board of Selectmen budget session discussing
this: Click here.
Video of the
above meeting: Click
here (9:55 elapsed).
Town minutes
of the above meeting: Click
here (pages 1-2)
Notes of the
December 9, 2013 Board of Selectmen meeting where this was approved: Click
here.
Video of the
above meeting: Click
here (176:24 elapsed)
Town minutes
of the above meeting: Click
here (pages 15-16).
Notes of the
December 12, 2013 Budget Committee meeting where this was recommended: Click
here.
Video of the
above meeting: Click
here (155:01 elapsed)
Town minutes
of the above: Click
here (pages 6-7)
ARTICLE 18: FIRE DEPARTMENT LADDER TRUCK ($15,000 MATCH)
Text of warrant article
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of
three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) to purchase a fire department ladder truck to
replace a 1988 ladder truck. This amount is to be offset by the Assistance to Firefighter Grant in the
amount of two hundred eighty-five thousand dollars
($285,000) with the remaining amount
of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) to be raised by general taxation. This
will be a non-lapsing appropriation
per RSA 32:7, VI and will not lapse until the ladder truck is received or by
December 31, 2019, whichever is
sooner. This appropriation is contingent upon the receipt of the grant. Should
the grant not be awarded the
appropriation would lapse and not be expended. (Majority vote required.)
This
article is recommended by the Selectmen (3-0)
This
article is recommended by the Budget Committee (6-0)
Background and explanation
A new ladder truck would
cost $700,000 to $800,000. The existing
ladder truck is 25 years old and, while still functional, is showing some signs
of rust and leaking hydraulics. Fire
Chief Skip Sullivan believes that there is some good used equipment available
on the market, perhaps from a volunteer fire department that is going out of
business. The $15,000 raised by this
warrant article would be set aside and could only be used if the Assistance to
Firefighter Grant is available to match the remainder of the cost.
There was discussion at
the Deliberative Session and the Budget Committee meeting where the need for
Rye to have a ladder truck was discussed.
At the Board of Selectmen meeting approving the warrant article, it was
revealed that Portsmouth has two ladder trucks, however one is too large to be
used in Rye, except along Route 1 or 1A.
Links
Deliberative
Session notes of the discussion regarding this warrant article: Click
here.
Video of the
Deliberative Session discussion of this warrant article: Click
here.
Town Minutes
of the Deliberative Session: Click
here (page 13).
Town 2014-2019
Capital Improvement Plan (“CIP”): Click
here (page 51).
Notes of the
December 9, 2013 Board of Selectmen meeting where this was approved: Click
here.
Video of the
above meeting: Click
here (206:56 elapsed)
Town minutes
of the above meeting: Click
here (page 19).
Notes of the
December 12, 2013 Budget Committee meeting where this was recommended: Click
here.
Video of the
above meeting: Click
here (125:42 elapsed)
Town minutes
of the above: Click
here (page 7)
ARTICLE 19: FUND
HIGHWAY EQUIPMENT CAPITAL RESERVE ($100,000)
Text of warrant article
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of
one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) to be added to the Highway Equipment Capital Reserve
Fund created in 1994. This appropriation is in addition to the operating budget. (Majority vote
required.)
This
article is recommended by the Selectmen (3-0)
This
article is recommended by the Budget Committee (6-0)
Background and explanation
The Town voted to add $100,000 to this reserve in 2011, 2012 and
2013. In 2010, they voted to add
$10,000. Additions to the Capital Reserve affect the
tax rate in the year that it is added to, but there is no direct tax effect
when the money is withdrawn. However,
withdrawals reduce the Capital Reserve balance which will need to be
replenished if it is to be used for equipment purchases in the future.
There
is $278,200 in the Highway Equipment Capital Reserve Fund, which will be drawn
down $215,000 to replace two trucks if the related warrant articles pass
(Articles 10 and 16). The $175,000 front
end loader being replaced this year (see Article 9) will need to be leased, at
a $12,000 cost over the term of the lease for interest, as there is not enough
in the Capital Reserve to pay for all three pieces of equipment.
Based
on the equipment purchases for Public Works over the next few years set forth
in the Capital Improvement Plan, the $100,000 in annual funding is not quite
sufficient to purchase to provide for all projected equipment purchases as
equipment is typically purchased each year prior to the reserve being
increased:
|
|
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
|
Beginning balance |
$278,000 |
$163,000 |
$198,000 |
$163,000 |
|
Less: Equipment purchases |
($215,000) |
($65,000) |
($135,000) |
($190,000) |
|
Balance before funding |
$63,000 |
$98,000 |
$63,000 |
($27,000) |
|
Add: Annual funding |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
|
Equals: Ending balance |
$163,000 |
$198,000 |
$163,000 |
$73,000 |
Links
Deliberative
Session notes of the discussion regarding this warrant article: Click
here.
Video of the
Deliberative Session discussion of this warrant article: Click
here.
Town Minutes
of the Deliberative Session: Click
here (page 14).
Town 2014-2019
Capital Improvement Plan (“CIP”): Click
here (page 22).
Notes of the
December 9, 2013 Board of Selectmen meeting where this was approved: Click
here.
Video of the
above meeting: Click
here (128:26 elapsed)
Town minutes
of the above meeting: Click
here (page 17).
Notes of the
December 12, 2013 Budget Committee meeting where this was recommended: Click
here.
Video of the
above meeting: Click
here (129:06 elapsed)
Town minutes
of the above: Click
here (page 8)
ARTICLE
20: TOWN EMPLOYEES ACCUMULATED LEAVE
FUND ($50,000)
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of
Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) to be placed in the expendable general trust fund known as
the Town Employees’ Accumulated Leave Fund, established pursuant to RSA 31:91-a by Article 14 of the
1990 Rye Town Meeting for the purpose of funding Town
Employees’ accumulated leave
accounts. This appropriation is in addition to the operating budget. (Majority vote required.)
This
article is recommended by the Selectmen (3-0)
This
article is recommended by the Budget Committee (9-0)
Background and explanation
When employees leave,
they must be paid their accumulated vacation and sick leave. These amounts can be sizable, particularly as
the caps on amounts that can be accumulated and paid are high. When employees leave, their accumulated
vacation and sick pay are paid out of this fund, which must then be
replenished. In 2013, two police
officers and the Deputy Town Clerk/Tax Collector left, which required payouts
of $52,000. The current liability of the
Town for vacation and sick leave is $482,309, while the balance in the Fund is
only $155,247.79. The New Hampshire
Department of Revenue Administration recommends that 50 percent of the
liability be covered by a reserve fund, which would be approximately $241,000. Prior to the 2013 payouts, the Town had been
close to the 50 percent level, and no addition to the Employee Leave Fund had
been deemed necessary in 2012. There are
currently two long-time employees that are close to retirement who will need to
be paid from the fund in the near future.
Links
Deliberative
Session notes of the discussion regarding this warrant article: Click
here.
Video of the
Deliberative Session discussion of this warrant article: Click
here.
Town Minutes
of the Deliberative Session: Click
here (page 15).
Notes of the
December 9, 2013 Board of Selectmen meeting where this was approved: Click
here.
Video of the
above meeting: Click
here (128:26 elapsed)
Town minutes
of the above meeting: Click
here (the approval is in the video, but not the minutes).
Notes of the
December 12, 2013 Budget Committee meeting where this was recommended: Click
here.
Video of the
above meeting: Click
here (131:56 elapsed)
Town minutes
of the above: Click
here (page 8)
ARTICLE
21: RYE PUBLIC LIBRARY BUILDING
MAINTENANCE EXPENDABLE TRUST FUND ($5000)
Text of warrant article
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of
five thousand dollars ($5,000) to be added to the Rye Public Library Building Maintenance
Expendable Trust Fund established by Article 14 at
the 2005 Town Meeting under the
provisions of RSA 31:19-a, as a maintenance fund for the Rye Public Library
building. This appropriation is in
addition to the Library’s operating budget. (Majority vote required.)
This
article is recommended by the Selectmen (3-0)
This
article is recommended by the Budget Committee (9-0)
Background and explanation
There is currently
approximately $17,000 in this fund.
While the Town has reserves to handle emergency expenditures relating to
its facilities, the Library is separate, and would not be able to tap these
reserves if there are issues with the roof or the boiler. Certain ongoing maintenance expenditures are
charged to this fund, so that replenishment is required to maintain the
balance.
Links
Deliberative
Session notes of the discussion regarding this warrant article: Click
here.
Video of the
Deliberative Session discussion of this warrant article: Click
here (2:01 elapsed).
Town Minutes
of the Deliberative Session: Click
here (pages 15-16).
Notes of the
December 23, 2013 Board of Selectmen meeting where this was approved: Click
here.
Town minutes
of the above meeting: Click
here (page 7).
Notes of the
December 12, 2013 Budget Committee meeting where this was discussed: Click
here.
Video of the
above meeting: Click
here (136:22 elapsed).
Town minutes
of the above meeting: Click
here (pages 8-9).
Video of the
January 16, 2014 Budget Committee meeting where this was recommended: Click
here (50:07 elapsed).